Wrapping machine



Aug; 28, 1923. 7 1,465,977

J. FAULL WRAPPING MACHINE F iled Feb.-9. 1921 2 SheetsSheet 1 I INVENTOR. v BY A TTORNEYRSI Aug. 28,1923. v 1.465.977

- J. FAULL WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9; 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 28, 19123.

. new? uonn FAULLfoF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN", assrenon gro on-arson nuToMATIc rvrrcursnn, 'A PARTNERSHIP v ASSOCIATION SEALER 00., LTD; on BATTLE CREEK; LIMITED, or MICHIGAN. 1

WRAPPING MAC IN Application filed February TO' aZZ whom z't mag concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F Arum, a citizen of the United States of America, and a.

resident of'Battle Creek, Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements n Wrapping Machines, 'which invention is fully set forth in the following specifica- 7 Heretofore the cartons have been fed past the folding mechanism by followers on the main conveyor chain; and it frequently happened that, particularly with light cartons, the same would become slightly displaced whereupon the foldingmechanisin would not act effectively and the carton would not be securely sealed in the wrapper. This was particularly the case when wrapping small cartons, as it was found that the tucker of the folding mechanism would engage the wrapper with sufficient force to displace the carton so that the folder member would not properly engage thewrapper, with the re sult that the rear flap would frequently not be folded against the package atall and frequently the flap would be I inaccurately folded, dependent upon'the "degree" of displacement of the package. V

The object of the .PIQSBIllJ-IDVGIIUOII 1S to provide a feeding mechanism by means of which the movement of'the carton'will always be positively controlled from the time it engages the wrapper un'til the latter has been folded and? sealed about the same, whereby a uniform and excellent sealingof the carton in'the waxed paper-or other wrapper is secured, all danger of displacing the carton with its attendant'defective: sealing.

' of the folding mechanism on the wrapper cannot displace or -change the position of i the carton with respect' to the feedlng mechanism and a-uniform and eficient wrapping is thus effectedathigh speed. :The invention will bebetterunde'rstood 9, 1921. Seri alN'o. 443,613.-

by reference to theaccompanying drawings,

illustrating one expression of the inventive 1dea,jand where1n. V vj Fig. 1 1s a longitudinal elevation, partly inpsectiomyshowing one end of the carton i conveyor and associated mechanism;

F ig; 2 is. a. detailperspective showingthe improved clamp v Fig. 3 isan elevationshowing a modified form. of clamp various sizes of cartons; and

Fig.4 is'a perspective view of; the parts shown in Fig. 3. 1

.gfieferring to the drawings, wherein like with adjusting means for.

reference numerals indicate'like parts, 5 i-ndicatesga'ny suitable table or support along which. the carton or like article is progressed past av suitablewrapper folding mechanism or other :instrumentahty. for operating on th eImoving carton or-article. The folding mechanism herein illustrated comprises, on eachside of the table or support, an upper tucker finger 6, and a lower tucker finger 7, anupper folder finger 8 and a lower folder finger 9. Such folder mechanism is preferably of'the well-known type used-in the Johnson wax-"wrapper machine (see Patent'No. 1,2?0A16). andneed not be specifi cally des'cribed. It is sufficient to note that the upper folding mechanism rotates'in a counterclockwise direction around the shaft l0 and that the: lower folding mechanism rotates in a clockwisedirection around the shaft 7 11'. The folding mechanisms are driven through shafts 12 and 13- and bevel gearing l l and 15 :from any'suitable source of power. i

vA 'co nveyor'16, preferably of the chain type, continuously progresses the cartons pastthe-foldin'g mechanism. This conveyor passesover'suitably supported sprockets 17 one of which-is mounted on shaft 18 which is driven through suitable means (not shown) This conveyor has mounted thereon a plurality of suitably spaced followers,

carton, being disposed'at'a slight angle to v the 'main body of the clamp so that, when chine, move each clamp into engagement with the carton. A pair of rollers 34 and 35, carried by ears 36 and'37 (Fig. 2) en gage thecam rails 32. If-desired, a single roller and a" single" cam track may be employed. The'cam tracks are inclined 1) at 38 to force the clamp downwardly, and at 39 to ermit the spring 31 to elevate the clamp. referably a cam 40 is associated with theincline 39 so that the elevating of the clamp, by reason of the engagement of the roller 34 with said'cam 40, is rendered more positive. s

Any suitable means for moving the cartons into nosition to be engaged by the followers may be employed; but preferably the usual infeed'belt (not shown) and elevator 42 are used, the waX-wrapper'being fed into position over the elevator and the wrapper being folded around the carton in the usual manner and by the well-known mechanisms. The follower vremoves the carton with'the wrapper around it from the elevator 42 and moves it forward against a finger 43 pivoted at 44 and having one end of a spring 45 secured thereto, the other end of said spring being suitably anchored. The finger yieldsand the carton moves under it. The cam action is so timed that the clamp moves downwardly toward the carton as the finger moves over the top of theicarton, so that, just before the carton passes from under the control of the finger, the clamp securely grips the same, the part 27 engaging the front face of the carton." The carton is thus under ositive control and not subject to any displacement by the action of the tucking and folding fingers engaging the wrapper, thus obviating'a great objection and solving a very diflicult problem in con nection with high speed wrapping machines in which the cartons are continuously fed past the wrapping mechanism: t

With 'such a device wherein the carton positively controlled at, every stage of the operation, it is possible'tomaterially simplify the construction of the machine by eliminating the guide rails; 46 if desired,

' Further, the fixed: finger 47 and the pivoted finger 43, whichreceive the carton from the elevator,'may' also be removed if desired.

This, however, necessitates a positioning of the cam incline 38 slightly more to the left as seen in Fig.1.

The clamp shown in Figs. land 2 has :bodies additional advantages. 7 struction, the clamp 26 1s pivoted at 48 to a carton in the desired position asiit is fed 'past the foldingvmechanisma l i; Q

3 em- Tn that con- 7 The structure v shown ,in- Figs;

slide 49 thathas a pin and slot connection 50 with thefollower standard 23. This affords a ready and eflicientmeansfor. adjust i ing the clamp for use with widely varying sizes of cartons. o-

In additiom the clamp carries a shoe 51 that is adjustable by a-.-pin and slot connection'52 along the clamp. This shoeis adjusted'according to the slze'of the carton being handled so that, when the carton is clamped against the follower, the shoe firmly enthe top of the carton and assists the clamp fixedly holding the carton in ;position as it is progressed past thefolding mechanism.

It will be seen that, by this pivoted adjustable form of clamp, cartons of widely varying sizes may be handled with equal facility and efficiency. Further, it willbe .unr dcrstood that the follower 23 may engage either the front'or rear of the carton, so long as the carton is heldthereagainst by the clamp; and the claims appended hereto are to beso understood; r

' The operation ofithe lows: q

The cartons are'carried by the infeedbelt from any suitable source of supply, to the elevator 42 which raises them into theposition shown at the left inFig. 1, between-the fiXed and yielding fingers, the carton at.;i;he sametimebeing enveloped by the wrapper in the usual manner.

devicejis as fol- At this moment toe follower moves the wrapped carton against the yielding finger 43, the cam inclines 38 operating on the rollers 34 and 35 to move the clamp downward-toward the carton.

The clamping action is completed just before the carton passes'from undenthe control of the yielding finger 43 and the carton 1s then fixedly held as it s progressed past the folding mechanism andthe hot plates (not shown). Thereafter the spring 31 and the cam 40' disengage the clampfromthe carton, which latter passes onto 'thecdelivery belt. a

For the purpose ,of convenience and simplicity, the invention has herein been-illustrated 1n connection with a machine for wrapping filled cartons in waX-wrappe rs,';,bnt

it will be understood that; the invention is equally applicable to the w'rapping of-Hother objects, such as loaves ofbread and the like; and it is to be understood that, where injthe foregoing description and the claimsrefer- 'ence has been made to cartons, this expression is to be interpreted as including loaves of bread or other bodies or articles to be wrapped. 7

Indeed, the invention, while solving an important and difficult problem in wrapping machines, is not, in its broadest aspect, limited to wrapping machines but is equally applicable to any machine in which it is desired to securely hold an object while at the same time feeding it past an instrumentality for, operating thereon.

While two expressions of the inventive ide'a have been heretofore described and il lustrated in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that the inventive idea may be embodied in various mechanical expressions within the limits of the appended claims.

What is claimed is e 1. In a machine of the character means for feeding cartons past said folding mechanism including a follower engaging after the operation of the folding mecha-' nism.

2. In a machine of the character de- 7 scribed, the combination of folding mechadescribed, the combination of folding mechanism,

clamp and engaging the top of the carton,

' and means for automatically disengaging said clamp after the oneration of the folding mechanism.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a folding mechanism, means for feeding cartons past said folding mecha'nim including a follower engaging one face of the carton, a clamp pivoted to. said follower, means for, shifting the pivotal point with respect to said follower, means for automatically engaging said clamp'with' another face ofthe carton before the operationof the folding mechanism, a shoe carried by the clamp and engaging the top of the carton, and means for automatically disengaging said clamp after the operation of the folding mechanism.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a folding mechanism. means for feeding cartons past said folding mechanism including afollower engaging one face of the carton, a slide carried by said follower, a clamp pivoted to said slide, means for automatically engaging said clamp with another face of the carton before the operation of" the folding mechanism, a shoe carried by the clamp and engaging the top of the carton, and means for automatically disengaging said clamp after the operation of the folding mechanism.

5. In combination, a conveyor, a follower carried thereby, and a pivoted clamp carried by said follower, a shoe carried by said clamp, and means for moving said clamp and shoe toward and from said follower.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

JOHN 

